Captain Gaetano Gigliotti and the crew of the cruise ship Carnival Elation have been recognized with the Exceptional Bravery at Sea Certificate of Commendation from the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
The specialized agency of the United Nations which serves as the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.
Presented during the IMO’s annual conference in London, the certificate honors Captain Gigliotti and his team for their incredible courage in the rescue of a stranded fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane Irma last year.
The rescued mariner, Edward Potter of Tampa, Fla., was also in attendance and expressed his gratitude for Captain Gigliotti and the Carnival Elation team for their life-saving efforts during the storm.
“Captain Gigliotti and the Carnival Elation team are a shining example of the leadership and outstanding seafaring skills of our shipboard crews who every day dedicated to the safety of our guests and crew,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“Every year IMO honors and recognizes individuals who have contributed greatly to the objectives of the Organization, through their dedicated work and through exceptional acts of bravery at sea. Certificates of Commendation are awarded to nominees who have committed acts of extraordinary bravery.
How It All UnFolded
While undergoing a scheduled dry dock in Freeport, Bahamas, Carnival Elation began monitoring a storm off the coast of Africa that quickly developed into a major Category 5 hurricane. When it became clear that the storm’s path was projected directly over the Bahamas, the decision was made to move the 70,000-ton ship and seek shelter in the Gulf of Mexico.
As Carnival Elation was sailing from Hurricane Irma’s path, the ship received a relayed distress message from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) alerting them that a fishing boat, Captain Eddie, was taking on water approximately 60 nautical miles to the east. With Captain Eddie’s two crewmembers in dire need of assistance, Carnival Elation Captain Gigliotti and his crew immediately set out to assist in the rescue, with the U.S. Coast Guard planning to provide a helicopter to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Navigating through treacherous conditions, 15 to 20 foot waves and sustained winds of 40 knots gusting to 60 knots, Carnival Elation, without the aid of its normal bridge systems and communication equipment due to the early departure from dry dock, stayed the course, only to be informed that the USCG could no longer provide helicopter assistance because of the dangerous wind conditions.
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Nearing the fishing boat, Captain Gigliotti, using the knowledge and experience gleaned from more than three decades at sea, deemed it was too dangerous to allow a Carnival Elation rescue boat to pick up the fishermen.
Instead, he chose to maneuver the ship closer to the life raft to facilitate a rescue through an open shell door in the hull. Despite high winds and heavy seas, Captain Gigliotti successfully positioned the ship alongside the life raft and several team members, ignoring the potential risk to their own lives, brought the sole survivor, Edward Potter, on board using a harness and hoisting line.
